


Underground

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: 3rd Age - The Stewards, Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-27
Updated: 2007-12-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 10:16:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4217766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A friend of a friend was in the hospital recently, and her brother requested Aragorn/Legolas stories to help her feel better.<br/><br/>This is my contribution.<br/><br/>This is for you, Nina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Underground

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

_Legolas_

This was not how I had  
intended  
to spend the day,  
curled up in  
the damp  
corner  
of a cave deep  
under the trees,  
trying not to shiver  
because it hurts,  
trying not to breathe,  
trying not to cry.

Can't stop trembling.  
My back is on fire.

But he didn't make me scream.  
He didn't make me cry  
so he could hear me.  
Only in the dark  
do I let  
tears come and  
flow  
down my cheeks.

Nienna,  
weep for me.

Estë,  
give my family rest.

Someone,  
come and get me.

~o~

_Aragorn_

He came this way.  
At least, I think he did.  
Elvish footprints are so much lighter than  
a Man's ...

There!  
Perhaps he knelt for a moment?  
But why?

Kneel in the place myself, look up ...  
 _Ai av_ , one of Legolas' arrows,  
lodged in the tree a few yards away,  
and under the tree,  
heavier footprints.

I survey the area  
with growing  
dread.  
Heavier prints under the tree's branches ...

Legolas' arrow ...

heavy prints coming into the clearing  ...

droplets of blood?  
I hurry to them,  
touch a fingertip to one,  
smell,  
taste.

I know the taste of Legolas' blood  
( _ai_ , how strange that sounds).  
This is his.

The heavy prints leave.  
The light ones do not.

_Ai av!_  
Legolas,  
what has happened to you  
now?

~o~

_Legolas_

If only he hadn't taken my knives.  
I could have made this faster.

Instead there is the burning,  
the freezing,  
the hunger,  
the thirst.

Damp, dark, cold.  
My teeth would chatter  
if they weren't  
clenched  
so tightly  
in pain.

All around is stone.  
I wish I was turning  
into stone myself.

That would be more welcome than this waiting.

I don't know what I did to him,  
but he is full of  
hate and  
cruelty.

He mumbles always to himself.  
I wonder if he is insane.  
That would explain much.

_Ai, Eru!_  
I don't need  
\- or want -  
explanations.

I just want out.

~o~

_Aragorn_

The tracks lead to this clearing  
and I wonder  
where  
he thought he was going.

The path weaves between trees  
with no apparent  
rhyme or  
reason.

Maybe he has lost all reason.

_Ai,_  
what an unpleasant thought.

There's no telling what that could mean  
for Legolas.

Bother.

~o~

_Legolas_

One more crack of that whip  
and I think I'll fight  
through this fog and  
shove it down his throat.

He's taunting me with it.  
He may be insane, but  
he's very good with it,  
I must say.  
He can crack it over one of my shoulders  
and miss me by a hair.

My mind is ever in a fog,  
however ...  
Thinking is so hard.

Why can't I just let go?

*While Aragorn lives,  
I shall not sail.*

So I swore to Arwen.

Bother.

~o~

_Aragorn_

Unimaginative,  
really.

Yet another lair  
underground.

The light from my  
crude torch  
seems swallowed  
by the dirt walls,  
the dirt floor,  
the dirt ceiling that my head  
keeps bumping.

Ow!  
 _Daro!  
Tevenyel!_

This place was carved by a  
 _yondo Valarauco._  
No, I forget.  
Not even a balrog's son  
could fit in these tiny halls.

~o~

_Legolas_

I'm hearing  
someone.

I'm not sure  
who.

My brain  
feels...

half gone ...

half floating ...

_Ai,_ who yelled?

I don't think it was me ...

~o~

_Aragorn_

Gruesome.

That's all I can say.

Gruesome.

At least he did the dirty work for me,  
killing himself  
so I didn't have to.

But I wonder how he got Legolas in -  
I'm somewhat taller than he,  
and I'm having a great deal of trouble  
getting Legolas out.

~o~

_ Legolas _

I can hear Estel...  
I think...

I will...focus...  
on his...Elvish...  
and...try...to pay...

attention...

to what...he is  
saying...

"You will be all right, Legolas."

" _Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan nan galad._ "

Come back ...  
To what light?

Almost unwillingly,  
I open my eyes  
just in time to catch  
the sun on the leaves above.

The light is too bright,  
but I look still,  
dazzled.

Ah yes,  
that light ...

Sweet athelas ...

" _Tolo dan nan estel._ "

I smile ...  
faintly ...  
at his ... humor ...

I think ...  
my mind is leaving me ...  
but it will come back ...

As Estel came back for me ...  



	2. A/N

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A friend of a friend was in the hospital recently, and her brother requested Aragorn/Legolas stories to help her feel better.

Elvish translations (all just 'best guesses'):

ai av: oh no (my best guess)  
ai, Eru: oh, God  
daro: stop (lit. halt)  
Tevenyel = I hate you  
yondo Valarauco = son of a balrog  
Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan nan galad = Hear my voice, come back to the light  
Tolo dan nan estel = Come back to hope 


End file.
